Hair loss is primarily a cosmetic problem in humans. It occurs in different kinds of situations and includes male pattern alopecia, alopecia sinilis, alopecia areata, diseases accompanied by skin lesions or tumors and systemic disorders such as nutritional disorder. Chemotherapy induced alopecia is another kind of hair loss situation in cancer chemotherapy for which no effective therapy is readily available.
Hair care sector has a big market potential. It is estimated that hair care products have a market of $ 6 billion in US alone. In India the estimated market for hair care products is around Rs. 26 billion.
There are many products in the market, which claim enhancement of hair growth and prevention of hair loss but are expensive and associated with side effects. For example, Minoxidil a conventional drug provides moderate regrowth of hair on bald areas of the scalp. The medication is to be applied to balding spots twice a day and must be continued daily. Recurrence of Hair loss is usual if application is stopped. Oral Minoxidil is reported to affect heart rate in some patients, so people having cardiovascular problems can use topical form only.
In recent times, many herbal drugs have been developed which are claimed to be safe and effective to treat hair loss and regulate hair growth in cases of chemotherapy induced alopecia. In Chinese medicine, traditional tonics comprising herbs such as Polygonum multiflorum, Lycium fruits, Chinese Foxglove root, Dioscorea opposita and Cornus officinalis are reported for hair growth and prevention of hair loss.
To overcome the side effects of synthetic hair care products and also lack of systematic scientific evaluation of herbal products, many research findings are aimed at scientific evaluation of herbal products for its better therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of action. The present invention is therefore an outcome of a systematic evaluation of herbal materials based on their active compounds and development of a natural composition for prevention of hair loss and regulation of hair growth, which is safe and affordable.